Paperwork Mistake Costs Ohio Planned Parenthood $5 Million

The Cincinnati, Ohio Planned Parenthood abortion business cost itself more than $5 million in taxpayer funds thanks to an incomplete application. The result may be fitting given that it has covered up cases of sexual abuse of minors.

Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region lost $5.05 million in federal and state grants that it could have received over the next five years, according to the Dayton Daily News. The abortion business tells the newspaper it will now have to start charging people for non-abortion services, rather than cutting out abortions and providing them at no cost.

Laurie Housemeyer, director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood, told the News that the taxpayer funding represented 12 percent of its annual budget, but it was notified this month that its improper application cost it funds. A state health department official said the application received a low score because it was incomplete.

“That is hard to believe,” Housemeyer said. “We have a very thorough and qualified grant writer.”

The loss of federal funding comes after the abortion business also recently lost its CEO Becki Brenner, though Housemeyer said the two are not related. She indicated the abortion agency would try to make up for the funding loss with private donations but said the abortion business, which employs 90 people, will not cut staff or close any locations.

Paula Westwood, Executive Director of Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati commented on the news and said other options exist for women who want the same services Planned Parenthood provides but without supporting an abortion organization.

“Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio is a 501c3 non-profit, which charges for abortion and now other services. Government funding it receives is not slated for abortion, but it’s commonsense that funds a non-profit receives for one program frees funds for others,” she said. “With the recent news that Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio lost a bid for a state grant, be assured that local health departments provide all the services Planned Parenthood claims to cover for low-income people.”

Westwood also said Planned Parenthood has misled people about what it provides, and that should prompt women to look elsewhere.

“Earlier this year, Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s CEO, Cecile Richards, claimed that de-funding Planned Parenthood means women lose “family planning” healthcare benefits and also free mammograms,” she said. “The Live Action investigative organization looked into Planned Parenthood’s mammogram claim and verified that not one Planned Parenthood affiliate in the country offers mammograms, but only refer to other providers. Live Action obtained further proof by taping calls to 30 Planned Parenthood affiliates in 27 states, again confirming that not one offers this breast cancer screening procedure.”

“The same in Cincinnati, Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio does not perform mammograms, but only refers. If the concern is to provide mammograms for underprivileged women, there are several alternatives available,” she continued. “For example, financially assisted mammograms are covered by vans that travel throughout the city via the Jewish Hospital within Mercy Health Partners. Christ Hospital has a free mammogram program. And various institutions and organizations periodically offer financially assisted mammograms, such as the University of Cincinnati and the Chris Collinsworth ProScan Fund.”

“An increasing number of polls indicate that Americans recognize that abortion is not healthcare, and abortion providers do not merit government (our taxpayer) money for any reason,” she concluded.